A hint of skin beneath an undone shirt is as sensual as it is chicly French. EDWINA INGS-CHAMBERS reveals the surgery-free secrets to bring a youthful vitality to this erogenous zone

Of course we have to have a French word for it: décolleté. How else – or better – to describe that neck-to-breast zone on a woman’s body? In English, we’re merely left with ‘the breastplate’, which almost sounds like a piece of battle armor, or the ‘upper chest’ – too easily confused with a piece of furniture. No, it has to be French. Besides, the French know the power of the décolleté. They’re adept at that tuxedo-jacket-sans-anything-underneath

look and harnessing the allure of a discreetly low-cut piece. They also understand the power of subtle revelation. To keep your skin exposure-friendly, lavish your décolleté with loving care.

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Everyday skincare shouldn’t stop at your chin, but continue all the way to your bust line – and this applies to cleansing, too. “There are fewer sebaceous glands in the neck and chest, which means there is less sebum,” explains London facialist Sarah Chapman. “The skin’s defense barrier is weaker, so the area can become dehydrated.”Meanwhile, Kathy Phillips, founder of British beauty brand This Works, says she’s become aware that “many women neglect that specific area of the body. They put their anti-agers on their face and hands but forget that the skin on the cleavage area and neck is as thin as underneath the eyes, so a daily cleanse, an anti-aging moisturizer and an SPF is a must”.The surgery-free secret: Sarah